The Nightingale
by ohmyvaldez
Summary: When she was a little girl, Alleria was abandoned by her friend, Jack Frost. After his disappearance she went insane and he's the only one who can get her back to normal.
1. Chapter One

**A/N: Hey guys! So this is my first attempt at a fanfic ever so please, forgive me for mistakes. I really hope you enjoy my story! I would really appreciate reviews, opinions or suggestions so please, give me some feedback. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own ROTG but I do own Alleria.**

I am in this hospital because of a guy named Jack Frost. I've been in the Burgess Mental Institution for ten years. I'm not crazy, I'm just missing a friend.

When I was seven years old I met the winter spirit. I have always believed in everything magical, people like Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, the Sandman and of course, Jack Frost. My grandpa would always tell me old stories he'd heard as a child. Tales of spirits, monsters and heroes that made you ask for a new one every night. Thankfully, Grandpa never ran out of them. Every day I would go from playing with my friends in the snow, to be sitting by the fireplace with my grandfather, waiting for mom to come home. That one especially cold day was one I'd never forget. I was having a snowball fight with all my friends at the edge of the woods near my house. I was laughing and throwing snowballs when I stopped short, noticing _him_. There, perched atop a long wooden staff was a guy. He looked about seventeen or eighteen and was definitely strange looking. He had pale skin and snow white hair, and even from here I could see his bright, ice blue eyes. He was thin and lanky, wearing brown pants and a dark blue hoodie lined at the top with _frost_? Oh, and he was barefoot. The boy watched our snowball fight, grinning, the scene seemed to make him happy. I looked around at my friends, no one seemed to notice him there, they just kept playing. I decided to see what this guy's deal was. I approached him slowly, my feet crunching lightly on the snow. I was now only a few feet away, but I guess he didn't hear me, so I spoke, "Um, excuse me?" I asked.

The boy whipped around, picking up him staff and landed on his feet, the staff now in my face as it glowed with a blue light. My eyes widened and mouth dropped open. He seemed surprised too because he mimicked my expression, us both standing there gawking at each other. "Mister can you please not blast me with your blue light," I said simply. He seemed to realize he was about to attack me 'cuz he immediately lowered his staff. "Oh yeah, sorry but-" He stopped, his body stiffened. "You can see me!" He cried out, he let out a whoop and did a flip in the air. "She can see me, she can see me!" I frowned, then it seemed as if the gears in my head clicked into place. "Jack Frost!" I exclaimed, pointing at him. "You're Jack Frost! Grandpa was right, you _are _real!" Jack grinned, he looked so happy it made me smile too. "Allie, who are you talking to?" I turned to see my friends had stopped the game, now all looking at me. "Um," My eyes flicked to Jack, he watched me, amused. "A friend." I called back, they shrugged then continued with their snow war. "So, you know me. But who are you?" Jack asked. I smiled shyly, then looked at the ground. "I'm Alleria. Alleria Beauregard, but um, call me Allie please." Now, he smiled, "Well Allie, how about we have some fun?" I began to hop up and down. "Okay! But what should we do?" Jack laughed. "I know, c'mon." I tilted my head, confused. But then he picked me up and put me on this back. "Now, hang on tight." I wrapped my arms around his neck and he hooked his arms under my knees, as if giving me a piggyback ride. Then, he pushed off the ground and into the air. At first, I thought he could just jump really high, but then I realized we were _flying_. Wind whipped at my face and hair but it didn't matter, this was the coolest thing ever. Jack spun around a couple times, doing flips in the air and making me shriek. He laughed and thankfully slowed down a bit. Now I actually looked around, we were over Burgess, I could see my house, and the woods right next to it. The one Grandpa says spirits hide in. Eventually, Jack landed, right where we'd taken off. My friends had gone home, maybe wondering where I'd gone to. If I told them, they wouldn't believe me anyway. "Jack that was really awesome." I told him. He laughed, "Yeah I know, flying never stops being awesome. Allie, I'm going to tell you something, but only because I trust you, okay?" I nodded, my eyes widening. He smiled warmly and held out a pinkie finger. I crooked mine around him. "Now, that's a promise. A promise that you'll always believe and that I'll always be there for you. Can you promise that?" My head bobbed up and down really fast. "Yessir." Jack smiled again. "I'm a guardian. A guardian that protects the children of the world. The other guardians are people you probably already know, Santa, Easter Bunny, Sandman, Tooth Fairy, right?" Again the nodding. "So Allie, all of us will always be there for you when you need us. We'll do anything to keep you safe." I stared up at him, here was a real hero, just like in Grandpa's stories. A person who protected others because they _wanted_ to_. _"Jack, will you come back and play with me again? We could have snowball fights and stuff. Please? You're my friend now." His whole face lit up. "Of course! Hey, I'll be back tomorrow okay? See ya later Allie!" Then just like that, the wind carried him up and he was gone.

The rest of the week, I spent with Jack. We played in the snow, built snowmen and he flew me around. It was more fun than I'd ever had before. Then one day, Jack said he had to go meet with the other guardians. He promised to be back the next day and gave me a hug and even a kiss on the forehead, his icy lips stung my skin slightly but that was okay. I still remember his smell, like pine trees and rain. He flew off, calling goodbye. I remember going to sleep that night. _He'll be back tomorrow_, I thought before bed. _Then we can play some more. _I also remember waking up that morning and waiting for Jack. Waiting...and waiting...but nothing happened. _Tomorrow, he'll be back tomorrow. He just had to stay another day. _But Jack never came, and I have been waiting ever since.


	2. Chapter Two

** "**JACK!" I woke up screaming. Of course, that's how I always wake up. Always the nightmares, always the fear, always the loneliness. It all started ten years ago, when Jack Frost never came back to me. Since then, I've had horrible dreams. My two nurses rushed in, just like they do every morning, to calm me down. By this time everyday, I'm crying or yelling. They both stroke my head or hug me and tell me it's going to be alright. I admire their patience, I'm even tired of my own screaming, I don't understand why they aren't I guess it's because it's part of their job.

"Alleria, are you alright dear?" Hannah, one of my nurses asks me. I sniff and nod, looking at her kind, smiling face. "Thank you." My voice comes out hoarse and cracks slightly. I must look like a wreck. But she just smiles again. "Well sweetie, we're going to bring in your breakfast soon alright? You can get dressed if you like." I nod again and they both exit the room, leaving it deathly quiet. I got out of my bed, wincing as my bare feet touched the freezing ground. I walk to my dresser in the corner of my room and pull out a black t-shirt, blue jeans, socks and my favorite gray Converse sneakers. After getting dressed I stand in front of the sink in the bathroom, brushing my teeth. I then look up at myself. I haven't looked in a mirror for a long time. My long, black hair tumbles down my back in loose curls. My skin is pretty pale, but that's what you get for living in a hospital, not much sunlight. I'm pretty thin and I guess I may even be considered tall. I have bow-shaped lips that are naturally dark pink, they stand out against my skin too much. Then there are my eyes, which make some people stop to look at me for a millisecond too long. They're a deep purple or violet even. No, I do not wear contacts, I have answered that question so many times it's tiring now.

The knock on my door makes me jump. My two nurses come in, one carrying a tray. Hannah flashes me her signature smile. One that may seem kind and caring but I've learned that deep down, is filled with pity. "Oh good! I see you're dressed." She exclaims, always cheerful, which bothers me. No one can _always_ be happy. "We brought you some breakfast and then you'll have free time until lunch!" She exclaimed. After every meal I get to walk around the hospital until the next meal is served or until bed. It's because I'm one of the less extreme patients here. I'm diagnosed with depression and trauma, other from the screaming out, I don't do much. During "free time" I go to the Children's Ward. There aren't many kids there, but the ones that are I take care of them best I can. When they begin to cry or shriek I sing to them. It calms them down very quickly, or if it's nap time for the little ones, I sing a lullaby and they're asleep in a minute or two. Other patients tell me they love my singing, they say it's almost magical. All the kids beg me to tell them stories too. I memorized so many of Grandpa's tales that I always have a new story for them. I love making them happy, some are so miserable here and I want it to not be so bad for them. Most of them are between the ages of eight and fourteen, but there's one girl, Anna, who is only six and is the sweetest thing ever. Two kids, are in wheelchairs, I talk to them a lot, they can't respond but their eyes light up when I speak to them and that's the greatest feeling.

Today though, was different. I was in the Children's Ward, telling one of the classic stories; Rapunzel, when Linda, my other nurse came in. "Alleria!" She called. I frowned and turned my head. Little Anna was sitting on my leg, and began to tug at my shirt. "Allie, why'd you stop?" She looked up with her sweet brown eyes, it was her favorite story after all. "Hey guys, I'm sorry, but I gotta go see what the nurse wants. I'll finish the story later, promise." Anna pouted along with a few others but I gave them all hugs and they agreed to wait for the rest until later. I stood to meet Linda. "Those kids really love you," she sighed, her eyes twinkling. I shrugged, "Yeah, they're great. So um, what'd you need me for?" "Oh Alleria, your mother's here to see you!" She said, clapping her hands together. My whole body stiffened and my blood ran cold. I gritted my teeth, _No, no, no, no, no!_, I thought. Why is _she _here? As much as I didn't want to, I followed Linda to the waiting room. Then, there in a chair in the corner, wearing a ironed business suit and flipping through a magazine was my mother. She looked up when we approached and gave a smile. Not one filled with warmth, a cold, tight smile that made you want to glare at her, so of course I did. Linda didn't seem to notice my mom's steely look because she said, "Well, I'll come back to get Alleria for lunch, see you later dear. And thanks for visiting Miss Beauregard! " My mom gave her icy smile again and turned her gaze to me. She has black hair and pink lips like me, but that's where the similarities end. She has brown eyes, but not like chocolate but more like mud, and a pinched face. Her hair tied back in a tight bun made her look even more stuck up, if that was possible. "Alleria darling, so good to see you." She cooed, but I could tell it was all fake, just like always. "It's _Allie_." I said icily. She frowned, "Well, alright then. Anyways, I've come to check upon you, so how about we go to your room?" "No I-" I began to protest before Linda appeared again. "Right this way!" She said, leading my mother. I followed, glaring daggers at the back of my nurse's head. That's how my mom and I ended up in my room, her heels clicking on the hard floor as she paced and me sitting in a chair by the window. "I've come to tell you the usual," She began, finally stopping her shoe clicking to shoot me a look. I didn't look at her, I kept my eyes out onto the parking lot below the building. "Well, I'll just say it. Alleria you need to snap out of this. This is completely ridiculous! Do you know how much this hospital costs? I'm not saying I want you home I'm saying I want to stop paying these bills." You didn't have to look at her to know the vein on her neck was popping out already, it happens when she gets mad. "When you're done being off in your own little world, you'll be out of this place and into foster care. But wait, no, even better, you'll be in the streets, you turn eighteen in what? Seven months? Not much time left of you being a kid, so your precious _Jack _won't be there for you anymore. Oh right, he's not even real." That's when I exploded.

"You have _no_ right!" I growled. "He was my best friend! He _is_ real!" I now stood, face to face with my wicked mother. "Grandpa understood! He was the only one who _ever_ understood me! He visited me! Not like you do, but with kindness. He told me Jack would come back one day, and that he knew I wasn't crazy. He knew Jack was real and he knew that he would return and we would play again together! Now he's dead. The only person who ever cared for me is dead. Right before he died he visited me once more and told me he knew his time would soon be up, but he said he knew with all his heart my friend would return. Now mother. Get. _OUT_!" I screeched. She just stood there, smirking. "Oh nurses! My dear, poor daughter is having a breakdown! Can you please help?" I balled my fists and fought the urge to yell, that would only make it worse. Hannah and Linda had already appeared. My "mother" had already gone. Her awful words stung and I tried not to cry, but it was too late. Tears streamed down my face as the nurses laid me on my bed. Removed my shoes and gave me a shot to knock me out. See the word 'breakdown' was code for, she'd have a deranged fit, and that meant I was probably gonna attack someone. Of course, no one would believe my side of the story, according to everyone, I'm insane, and no one ever believes the crazy people.


	3. Chapter Three

Waking up after being sedated isn't fun. I sit up in my bed to see a tray with food on the side table. A simple turkey sandwich and a mug of jasmine tea, my favorite. The tea's cold and sandwich kind of dry but that's alright, I'm starved. I gaze around my room. It's not exactly a hospital room, it's a lot like a bedroom actually, ever since I customized it. The walls are blue, my favorite color, I have an armchair sitting by the window and my bed with the soft purple and gray blankets. A small bathroom is tucked in a corner. Light shines through the window, indicating I wasn't out long. It's only late afternoon. My head begins to pound with my mother's cruel words, being kicked out of the hospital, then homeless and worst of all, almost being an adult. I would love to return to the Children's Ward to continue the story of Rapunzel but, now's when they have 'nap time'. I decide to go back to sleep but that of course means dreams, and for me, dreams mean horrible nightmares.

There, in a dark room was Jack. The room seemed to be part of a palace, the floor a dark marble and the ceilings were high up, held by columns. Dim light shone down on the guardian, he lay on the hard floor, one of his legs was twisted the wrong way. _Jack_…I whispered, but in the dream, he couldn't hear me. Then a cruel laugh echoed across the room. It was a horrible sound, like nails on a chalkboard. A man then appeared, slipping out of the shadows. He was tall and slim with gray skin, he wore black robes and his black hair was spiky. From here I could see his glittering gold eyes and sharp, fang-like teeth. He flashed a smirk at Jack. "Well, well, well. It appears the fun spirit Jack Frost has finally fallen. Since you last defeated me, I have grown stronger, feeding off the nightmares of one child. She's a big believer in you, but has these 'lovely' dreams every night. Anyway, I figure it's your time to know what's it's like to be beaten." He had a strong British accent, but he spat out the words, his voice bitter. Jack tried to stand, but winced and crumbled to the ground again. His magic staff lay in broken shards not far from him. "Pitch, leave the girl alone. Please…" His voice was hoarse but he managed to choke that out. _He truly cares for all children, even when he's in danger_, I thought. The evil man, Pitch, chuckled. "Oh Jack, I think I'll use her for a little longer. She's been very useful to me. I can't give up that power source so easily." He strode around the dark room, hands clasped behind his back, taking his time. I know noticed the glittering eyes lurking in the shadows. Lots and lots of them, they seemed anxious. "Soon my pets, soon." Pitch called to the eyes in the dark. Sounds of snorting and hooves echoed across the room. _Horses maybe?_ I didn't really want to know what was hiding in the shadows. "Hmm," Pitch began, now looking in my direction, as if he knew I was there. "It appears we have an audience. Well, the more the merrier." He chuckled. _He…he can see me? But, this is a dream…_"Alright my pets, it's show time." The dark man called to the creatures in the dark, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Let's put an end to the fun in this world." He snarled and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, dark shapes came rushing from everywhere. Yes, they were horses. They appeared to be made from black sand. It glittered across their bodies and their eyes glowed a golden yellow. Streams of shimmering black flew out behind them as they ran. Now the dark horses surrounded Jack. He tried to crawl, but so slowly it was hopeless. "Now." Pitch said. _Jack!_ I tried to scream but here, I can't move and no one can hear me. I can only watch as the horses attack. They snap and bite at him, trampling him with their hooves. He cries out in pain then…silence.

I shot up, finally out of that horrible dream. I'm breathing hard but thankfully, no screaming. That would only make the nurses come back in and I need to be alone right now. I stand up and stretch, then decide to shower. Good choice, I smell awful and a shower will wash away the bad thoughts and feelings, at least, hopefully they will. After, I smell like spices, things like cinnamon and nutmeg. Reminds me of Christmas, which reminds me of winter…which of course, reminds me of Jack. I shudder, _no, you can't think about that right now. Maybe Mom was right. Maybe it is time to move on._ I sit in my chair by the window and look out at the town of Burgess below. I would love to actually go outside and visit the stores and restaurants but I've never left this building in ten years. I'd probably get lost. I smile as I see snow falling lightly from the gray sky. The first snowfall, and it's perfect. I open the window, fresh air pours into the room and I inhale deeply. The flakes continue falling lightly, a few began to blanket the windowsill. I then pull out my turquoise headphones. I found that listening to music can get you through anything. Music begins to play through my ears, I began humming, then singing out the lyrics. Suddenly it becomes way too cold to keep the window open. Mostly, the cold doesn't bother me. But this was almost unnatural, so I turned to close it and-"You have a great voice." I shriek and jump backwards, staring wide-eyed at a grinning face. There, _floating_ outside my window is a boy. His pale skin, white hair and sparkling blue eyes so familiar I feel like I'm going to pass out. I manage to make words, but they come out barely audible. "Ja-Jack…?"


	4. Chapter Four

**A/N: I'd like to thank everyone who has read my story so far. I would especially like to thank those of you that left such amazing reviews! They were beautiful and I appreciate it a lot. Well, here's Chapter 4, a very much needed reunion…so, enjoy!**

Jack tilted his head to one side, narrowing his gaze. I stared back and then his eyes grew wide. "You can see me! And you're the oldest who ever has!" He exclaimed. I felt like punching him. Here, in my room, was Jack Frost. Me, being one of the few who could ever see him and he doesn't seem to remember me. He now stood in my room, looking at me and grinning. "Um, do you…do you know who I am?" I asked. He frowned and shook his head, "No. Should I?" I could already feel tears stinging at my eyes. I let out a shaky breath and stared at the ground, not able to meet his gaze. "Yeah…you should." He laughed, and I could feel the hurt wash over my face. "Sorry, but I think I'd remember being seen by such a pretty girl." Heat rushed to my cheeks, I almost smiled but I clenched my jaw and balled my fists. "Jack Frost! I'm Alleria, I met you when I was seven years old, you became my friend and you promised you and the other guardians would always be there for me. Then you left, promising to come back. But you _never _did. And now you just show up, without any explanation of where you went or why you abandoned me? I'm in a _freaking _mental institution because of you!" He seemed to finally get it. Good. He gaped at me, mouth open and face morphed into a look of shock and devastation. Then, he hugged me, Something I wasn't expecting. I didn't hug back, standing awkwardly in his embrace, but I finally let it out. Anger about abandonment, depression, all the bad things that had happened to me. Tears streamed down my face, dotting across the same hoodie he'd been wearing ten years ago. Jack ran his hand over my hair. "I'm so, so sorry." He muttered in my ear.

I finally finished crying and that's when Jack told me his story. He'd met with the other guardians to talk about Pitch Black, the Nightmare King. He had returned again, giving children awful dreams and trying to take away their hopes, dreams and wonder. The guardians had defeated him and returned everything to how it should be. Jack said he didn't forget to come back, he felt as though I'd stop believing in him. Like I'd forget I met the winter spirit, and it's not like any other people believed in him. I frowned at this. "I never forgot about you Jack, like I promised all those years ago. I'll always believe in you and the others." I said quietly. He smiled sadly. "Allie I can't tell you how sorry I am. I just…I don't have a good enough excuse for why I left you."

"Jack? Can I ask you why you showed up today?" His sad smile turned to a grin. "Well, I was flying around here when I heard you singing. Beautiful voice, like I said. Then I saw you. Something very familiar about you, but ten years is a long time and I guess…I guess I forgot what you looked like. But I knew you, deep down. And when you told me who you were, well, it all came rushing back." Looking at him now, he seemed different than I remember. Cuter actually, with his devilish smile and icy blue eyes. "Whatcha lookin, at?" He asked, the corners of his mouth turning up. My face got hot again. "Nothing." I said, sticking my tongue out at him. He laughed. I felt like I should tell him about the dream I had about Pitch, I think I may be the girl he's 'using'. But I didn't want to ruin Jack's good mood, and I also don't want to just assume that the Nightmare King was even talking about me.

"Hey Jack?" He turned his head to me. "I want you to meet some people. Follow me." I got up and exited the room. He walked a few paces behind me. We passed doctors and patients, most of which waved at me. They didn't notice Jack though. I led him to the Children's Ward, the kids were playing now. Anna was the first to notice me. "Allie!" she cried, running to hug me. I laughed, hugging the little girl. A few others waved and smiled. "So you guys," They looked up expectantly. "I want you to meet some one, he's a…friend of mine, I guess." I faltered on the word 'friend'. "But first, do you all believe in Jack Frost?" Some shook their heads while others said, "Who's that?" I gasped. "You don't know? Well, I'll tell you. Jack Frost brings winter. He makes it snow and I know you guys all love the snow." A couple nodded, good sign. "Actually, he's right here. But to see him, you have to believe. Can you all do that for me?" Anna tugged at my shirt. "Allie, is that Jack?" She pointed to him. Jack's face broke into a wide grin. "Hey there! And yes I am the Jack Frost." He made an elaborate wave of his hands. Then others began to see too. "That's Jack Frost!" "He _is _real!" "Wow, I can't believe he's right here!" All the kids gathered around him, asking questions and some just staring. Jack looked over at me, his eyes twinkling and his smile wide. 'Thank you.' He mouthed. I smiled back, 'Any time.'

Jack and I spent the rest of the day with the children. They all really loved him, it was cute to watch. Eventually, they all had to go to bed so we left. "Again, thanks for getting them to believe. You don't know how much that means to me." "No, I understand and besides, it was easy and since they liked you so much, they'll believe for a very long time." I replied. He ran a hand through his hair. "Allie, listen. Today was fun, do you think I could come visit you again?" If I had wings I'd be flying. My heart soared though, which was close enough, but I'm not exactly sure why it did. "Yes!" I said almost too quickly. "I mean yes, I'd like that. But you'll come back, right?" His cheerful look turned to shock. "I- I of course! I mean I just…" I elbowed him in the ribs. "Hey I'm joking. See you tomorrow." He grinned and nodded. Then flew out my open window, leaving a trail of snowflakes behind him.


	5. Chapter Five

The next few weeks flew by. Jack visited almost everyday, when he did we played with the kids. Everyone loved him, he knew how make them laugh and have fun. After running around and playing so much, everyone was exhausted by the end of the day. They always begged me to sing to them before bed, Jack too, causing them to fall asleep in only a minute or two. That's when Jack and I would spend time together. We slid on the slick hospital floor in socks, almost like ice skating. When I mentioned this is Jack, his face became grim and he nodded slightly, jaw clenched. "Don't talk about that, _ever_." He had growled at me. My eyes widened, he had never talked to me that harshly before. He realized this, putting a hand on my shoulder and muttered a "Sorry", averting his eyes to the ground, ashamed. Then I decided to pretend it didn't happen, Jack did too and we returned to sock skating, as I called it. He was really good at not getting caught. Nurses or doctors always patrolled the halls, waiting for a patient to burst out screaming or for one to wander off alone. Since they couldn't see him, he could warn me if anyone was coming. Unfortunately, I'm not very graceful. I would always crash into a table or knock something down. In those situations Jack would have to fly me up against the ceiling while someone came to check out the commotion. It was a little awkward, his back pressing me against the wall to keep me from falling, I mean; I'm not used to be this close to people, especially a boy. I barely dared to breathe until whoever came was out of sight. Then the both of us would continue whatever we were doing.

I was getting better too. Ever since Jack came back my nightmares had been less horrible. Of course, I still had them; they just weren't about Jack getting hurt or being killed. Now, the dreams were about losing him again, or sometimes about me being kicked out onto the streets, all alone. I rarely woke up screaming anymore, in fact, sometimes when I awoke, Jack was there, sitting in the chair by my window, perfectly fine. He would grin at me, and then say he was bored and didn't know who else to hang out with. Yeah right. But then one day, our usual routine was very different.

Morning light poured through my window, shining brightly on my face. I groaned and pulled the covers over my head. "Allie. Wake up." Something jabbed my face, I realized it was a finger. "Go away." I said, my voice muffled by blankets. The annoying person laughed, continuing to poke my cheek. I sat up quickly, to see Jack kneeling on the ground beside my bed. Normally, it would've been very creepy for someone to do that, but this was something he did a lot. I glared at him. "See? I'm awake. Happy?" He smiled and nodded quickly like a little kid. "Now shoo! Leave so I can get dressed!" I commanded, he bounded out of the room, door shutting behind him. I changed from my pajamas to a regular t-shirt and jeans, along with my black sneakers and ran a brush through my hair. "Okay! I'm good!" I called. Jack returned, smiling again. "Sooooo," He said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Oh no, you're planning something!" He smirked. "Yes, actually. I have an idea for what we're going to do today." I tilted my head, listening. "I am going to take you around Burgess!" He opened his arms, as if this was the greatest idea in the world. One corner of my mouth turned up. "Like a date." Pink instantly formed on his cheeks. "No! Not like that at all! It's just you haven't been out of this hospital for a long time and I just thought you would want to go outside and see the town." He kept rambling on, flustered, I held up a finger in front of his mouth. He shut up. I smiled brightly. "I'd love to." "Alright!" He cheered. "Wait, I have to make sure no one will come to check on me." I dashed out, returning only a minute later. "Okay, they think I'll be sleeping all day, let's go." I grabbed a hoodie and tied my hair back. I looked in the mirror quickly, surprising myself slightly. With my dark hair in a ponytail, my purple eyes looked even more startling, pretty actually. _No, what am I doing? I never used to care about my appearance. Why does it matter to me now? _"Allie, are we going to go or…?" Jack's voice interrupted my thoughts. "Yes, sorry." He smiled and held out his hand. I took it and then he pushed himself off the ground and we were launched out the window. I began screaming my head off until I remembered he could fly. He chuckled held my hand tighter, his other arm pulling me close to him. I could tell my face was already bright red. _Screw you emotions_, I thought. I tried concentrating on the town. Everything was decorated for Christmas, which was next week. Buildings and lampposts were covered with lights and you could even see small Christmas trees in a few windows. People were everywhere, doing last minute holiday shopping. A few men dressed as Santa were ringing bells, asking for money to give to charities. "Santa actually doesn't look like that," Jack said. "Oh really? What does he look like?" Jack frowned, thinking. "Very Russian." He said finally, I laughed. Snow was blanketed everywhere, on street corners, atop buildings and coating trees in the powdery flakes. The town park was completely covered in it, kids were running around, having snowball fights. I looked up at Jack, who was smiling at them. "Every time I see that, I think of when I first met you." He stated. My lips formed a small 'o'. "Hey, do you want to walk around instead? We could see everything up close that way." I said. He nodded. "Yeah, sure." Jack seemed very distracted today, not sure why. We landed and from up close the lights seemed brighter and everything more cheery.

Jack and I walked around for a few hours. We bought hot chocolate with money I had found in my jeans pockets. Jack's froze over; I could tell he didn't really want his anyway. When we walked by people, they pulled their coats and jackets tighter around them. I didn't blame them; Jack's presence wasn't very warm. For some reason it didn't really bother me much. Eventually we stopped at the town square. A huge Christmas tree was placed in the center. Lights, ornaments and large, sparkly gold star adorned the tree. My whole face became full of awe and I smiled, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The tree at the hospital was very depressing, only decorated in dim lights and a few almost broken ornaments. All the lights cast a golden light across the town square. It was now evening, making the light seem more vibrant and gorgeous. Jack stood slightly off to the side, smiling at me. "It's so beautiful," I breathed. "Yeah, it really is." I then turned and hugged him tightly, he tensed slightly, as if he was scared, then wrapped his arms around me. "Thank you, thank you! This was amazing." He laughed. "It's no problem, besides you needed to see this. To me, it's the second most beautiful things in the world." I frowned. _What could possibly be more incredible than this?_ "Then what's the first?" I asked, confused. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath. "You." My mouth dropped open, I gaped at him. "I-…I-what?" Jack faced me, his cheeks flushed. Then, he kissed me. My eyes were very, very wide before I remembered you're supposed to close them when you kiss somebody. Jack was cold, but in a good way, like when you're outside in winter and the icy wind blows over your face gently. After a moment he then pulled away and I almost blurted "No." but I kept my eyes shut for a second longer, smiling. I opened them to see Jack looking fondly at me. My smile widened, he matched it and took my hand, then flew back to the hospital, not saying anything. Once we returned his eyes flicked to the ground then back to me, his smile softened, "I'll be back tomorrow," He muttered, not making eye contact with me, his face a dark pink. I nodded, my lips still felt ice cold. That night, I couldn't stop thinking about the kiss. And for the first time, for as long as I could remember, I wasn't plagued by nightmares.


	6. Chapter Six

Two days ago I heard the news. My doctors said I was 'cured' and that I could leave the hospital. They make it sound like I have an illness. I might have been sick in the head, but that isn't easily fixed. What's worse is they're proud, they thought I was a hopeless case, that I'd never get better, now they make it sound like they're the ones who made me normal again. My mother of course already signed the papers and paid the last hospital bill, I have to leave today. She has no intention of picking me up and bringing me home. I don't remember my house that much. I know it sat at the edge of the woods and I used to play there all the time as a little kid. There's a pond in the center of all the trees that freezes over in winter. Grandpa had warned me about the forest, that spirits lived there, he had been told a story about someone who drowned in the pond a very long time ago. He had said that person's ghost is still there, I always tried to find the ghost, but I never did. I might even miss the hospital a little bit. Mostly everyone in the Children's Ward. I told them that I was leaving and they became sad. "Who'll tell us stories or sing to us?" Anna had asked me. I gave her a tight hug and told them I would visit everyday. That made them feel a bit better. Now, as I packed my bags, I stared outside. It was snowing again and the sky was gray. _Perfect, it matches my mood. _I frowned. _Where am I supposed to go? I can't go back to my house and I have no other family. _Unfortunately, there wasn't much to pack; just some clothes a few other belongings like a hairbrush and of course my headphones and iPod, meaning I would be out of here very soon. A whip of cold air hit the side of my face. "Hey." Standing in my now open window was Jack. "Hey." I said, carefully folding one of my shirts, keeping my head down. He whistled. "So, today's the day huh?" I nodded. My black hair began tumbling down across my face. Jack stepped forward and tucked it behind my ear, I flinched slightly. "Allie? What's wrong?" He asked, voice cautious. "I have no where to go," My voice cracked at the end and I hated it. "What do you mean?" He sounded much softer now. Then I told him. About how horrible my mom was and how she wouldn't let me move back into the house. How she wants me to be out on the streets, that she doesn't care about me at all. Jack nodded and listened quietly. When I finished he smiled and snapped his fingers. "I've got it! I know where you can stay!"

I had to remind Jack I still needed to pack or put away all my stuff. He waited impatiently, pacing back and forth or jumping up and down. After I was ready he exhaled loudly and said, "Finally!", it had only taken fifteen minutes. I grabbed my dark gray jacket and navy backpack and Jack grabbed my arm and bolted out the window. "You're in a hurry," I mumbled. "Well it takes a while to get there," He said, sticking out his tongue at me. "Where are we going exactly?" I could practically hear him grinning. "You'll see." _Real helpful. _The wind carried us for a long time; it started to get much colder. I looked below and I could see tips of mountain tops and a blanket of gray clouds. Then, below the clouds there was light, it shown through the layer, lighting up a small area. "We're here," Jack said as he began descending towards the lights. When we broke through the clouds it was snowing heavily and the lighted area formed into a building, a very big one. Everything was covered in snow; we must be in Alaska or Canada. "Allie, welcome to the North Pole!" Jack exclaimed, spreading out his arms. _Oh. _"So uh, why did you bring me here again?" I asked, Jack grinned and put his hands behind his head, beginning to walk toward the lighted building. "Well, this is where you're going to live." "What do you mean? Someone already lives in that building over there and we're in the middle of nowhere!" Jack's grin widened. "Actually that building is Santa's workshop and don't worry, there'll be plenty of space for you to live there. He'll say its okay." Now it was my turn to grin. "No way."

Apparently yetis made the toys and not elves like I heard in all the Christmas stories. The yetis weren't scary, they were kind of like gorillas, they were fluffy and had ponytails. The elves were little guys with clothes made out of old hats and weren't very smart. But they waved to me and gave toothy smiles. The yetis greeted me too and tossed Jack warning looks. He just smiled angelically and kept walking. The workshop was beautiful. Toys were everywhere and there was so much to look at. Huge jellyfish were flying toward the ceiling, they looked like they were made of paper but they swam through the air like they were in water. Miniature planes and blimps circled a huge model of the Earth; the globe was covered in tons of tiny golden lights. Jack explained they represented every child who still believed. We walked up a beautifully carved staircase and it led to a balcony that looked over the Earth model. A control panel was set up at the front of the balcony with all sorts of levers and buttons. A tall man with white hair and a long white beard was instructing a yeti, he wore black pants, snow boots and a red shirt. He then finished talking and turned his back to us. "Uh, North?" Jack said, walking toward the man. The huge man turned, and a wide smile appeared on his face, lighting up his big blue eyes. "Jack my boy!" He said, he had a thick Russian accent, like Jack had said before. He then stepped forward and picked up Jack, crushing him in a bear hug. "Who's this then?" He asked setting Jack down and gesturing to me. "That's Allie, she's my um…friend." Jack said, frowning slightly. I felt a pang in my chest at the word 'friend'. But I tried to push down the hurt feeling. "You're Santa! It's so amazing to meet you! I've always believed in you!" I said, sticking out my hand. He laughed, a cheery sound. "A child at your age who still believes! Incredible! But please dear, call me North" He pulled me into a crushing hug. I mouthed 'help' at Jack who just smirked and laughed a little. He finally released me, leaving me gasping for air. "So Jack, what brings you to my workshop?" Jack then explained my situation; North nodded and stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Well Allie! Looks like you're going to be living with me from now on!" He exclaimed. _Wow, he's always so happy and…loud. _"Oh no, I couldn't." I said, shaking my head. "I don't want to take up space or anything. Really, I don't mean to impose." North threw back his head and laughed again. "Ha! Nonsense! I'd be happy to have you here. Hm, where's Phil? Phil!" He called and a brown yeti appeared, holding a clipboard. "Ah, there you are. Will you please show this young lady to one of our spare rooms? Jack, you go along too. I still have much preparing to do before Christmas!" Jack nodded and we followed Phil. The yeti led us down a long hallway with many rooms; we stopped at the last door. He grunted and gestured to the door, indicating I could use this one, and then he shuffled off. I turned the knob and entered the most beautiful room I'd ever seen. The walls were blue, my favorite, a window looked out across the snow, a bed was made with lots of blankets, also my favorite, a small couch rested in a corner and a tall white dresser was against the wall. A small chandelier hung, illuminating the room, it looked to be made of different colors of blue sea glass. A fireplace was in the middle of one wall, a gas one protected by a glass covering. It was bitterly cold in here so I flicked the switch and flames erupted onto the fake log. There was even a small bathroom tucked away in another corner. This was definitely my dream room; it's almost as if North knew I would love it. "This is so cool," I said, breaking the silence. Jack nodded "Yeah." _So much for conversation. _"Um so, what now?" Jack sighed and looked out the window.

"Allie there's something I need to tell you." I could feel my eyes lighting up. "Really? What is it?" He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his snow white hair. "I've been meaning to tell you this after I um, kissed you, but…I don't know, I didn't know how you'd react. So now I thought, hey just tell her now. I'm not sure if I'll be able to work up the courage to say this again so here goes. I like you, a lot. I um, think you're really cool and fun to hang out with. You're really sweet and very beautiful and I feel happy when I'm with you. I'd like to think of you as more than my friend and I'd like you to be more than that too," He blushed heavily when he finished, it was really cute. I stood there, stunned and gaping at him. "Jack, I um…" His icy blue eyes bored into me. "I feel that way too." It came out as almost a whisper; at first I thought he didn't hear me. Then he grinned, his whole face lighting up. "Can I kiss you again?!" He blurted then covered his mouth, cheeks turning even redder. I smiled softly. "You don't have to ask." So I leaned closer and pressed my lips to his. It was like before, my heart began beating faster and I felt butterflies in my stomach. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer. He was so cold; I wrapped my arms around his neck. Then someone knocked on the door. We broke apart immediately and then North himself walked in. "Jack! There you are! I came to say it's getting late and want to know if you're staying here or not." Jack flicked his eyes to me quickly. "Um no, I'll be going," He said quickly. "Bye Allie, see you later." He then gave me a kiss on the forehead, leaving my cheeks a rosy color. He dashed out, and North stood in the doorway, his eyes twinkling. "Ah, I see the situation," He smiled warmly, my blush deepened. "Don't worry, I won't tell the others at least, not yet." He winked. "What others?" I asked. He smiled again. "Why the other Guardians of course! But no matter, you shall sleep now; it is late, goodnight Allie!" He left and slammed the door behind him, I'm not sure he meant to. I laid down and realized just how tired I was. I fell asleep in minutes.

Darkness invaded my mind and when it faded I was in the dark palace again. This is where I saw Jack die in another dream. Strange, I hadn't had a nightmare for awhile, why now? Then I heard laughter fill the room. A man then materialized out of the shadows, Pitch. He flashed a cruel smile at me. "Alleria, so good to meet the girl who brings Jack Frost so much happiness." I narrowed my eyes. "What do you want? And how can you be talking to me?" I demanded. "Don't you see? I'm the Nightmare King; I control everyone's nightmares and know their deepest fears. I can do what I like in your dreams. You however, are quite special. I have been using your nightmares to fuel my power, you have so much fear in you darling. It's quite fun to mess with your head. Now that I am almost at full power I can crush the Guardians, once and for all. So I won't be needing you anymore." He smirked and began pacing the floor. "Don't you dare hurt them! They're much stronger than you. You've been using me for my whole life, you're a monster," I growled. "Why thank you. But I'm afraid this time, I will only have to battle four Guardians rather than five and you're going to help me. What do you say? Jack will definitely come for you," My body felt numb. "No," I meant to sound strong but it came out like a weak cry. Pitch let out another heartless laugh. "You're quite lovely; it'd be a shame if I had to kill you but, I really despise those five. Alleria dear, I think it's about time you woke up."


	7. Chapter Seven

**A/N: I start way too many chapters with Allie waking up so I'm sorry but here's another one. **

My eyes snapped open, only to see darkness. Eventually they adjusted, revealing that I was in a cage. _Where the hell am I and how did I get here? _I scanned the area, but I couldn't see more than ten or fifteen feet in front of me, this was a big room, a very familiar one. The cage was tall enough for me to stand up in, but not wide enough that I could lie down. It didn't seem to be made of metal, it felt rough to the touch, like sand, but it was black and glittered in the faint light. I then realized my prison was hanging from the ceiling by a chain of the same sandy material, it was sturdy enough that it didn't swing with my every movement but I was still scared it could snap at any moment. "Good to see you're awake," an icy voice said from below. I looked over the edge of the cage to see Pitch Black. _Of course. _"What the heck dude! This is creepy of you, capturing me and putting me in a cage! What's your problem!?" I yelled. His eyes narrowed and his robes stretched out, causing him to rise until his face was across from mine, the bars being the only thing separating us. "Watch your tongue," he snapped. Black tendrils, made like the cage and chain, formed around him, seeping through the bars and then curled around my waist and throat. They lifted me into the air, crushing me; air caught in my throat, the tendrils appeared to be made of black sand, which could form into anything Pitch wanted. "I'm going to eliminate Jack Frost; you are _not _going to ruin it by trying to escape. For now, you are my prisoner; all I need is for you to be miserable and weak. That shouldn't be too hard right?" His lips curved into a dry smile. "Jack shall arrive to save you soon enough. North is already aware of my presence. He shall see you're not in your room and will know I took you. Not long until your precious Jack finds out." He sneered and removed his grip around me, I fell to the floor of my cage, gasping and coughing. "But won't North alert the other Guardians? Won't they all come?" I asked, rubbing my throat and glaring daggers at Pitch. "Oh no, he'll think I'm still _so _weak, still gaining my power, and will just send Jack." Wow, he really planned this out. "Now, you just sit tight and be a good, depressed, little girl, alright? I need you to make it believable." I frowned and glared some more. Pitch smirked once more and dissolved into the shadows.

Turns out being miserable wasn't that hard. At first, I didn't want to go along with his plan, I tried prying open the bars, but when they snapped open, the sand reformed instantly. I couldn't squeeze through, the gaps were way too small and there wasn't a lock on the cage, so my chances of escaping on my own were pretty small. At night I would lie down and pull my knees to my chest, which didn't help with the cold, the hard floor hurt too. Of course, I wasn't fed either, occasionally, I would get water, just so I could stay alive long enough until Jack arrived. My ribs poked through my t shirt now and my stomach caved in. It was all too much. I tried to stay calm, but it was no use, I was scared. I wanted Jack to come, I hated how weak I felt, I could barely stand up and when I did my legs would tremble. If he came, it would only mean hurt for him, so I knew he couldn't save me. If he tries to save me, I'll tell him to leave. The hours went by so slowly, I felt like I was going crazy again. _No, I can't go back to being like that. It's even worse than this. _I've been here for a week, I don't know how much longer until I die of hunger, but it will probably be soon. Now, I sat cross legged on the floor of my prison, tracing my finger along the black sand. It moved when dragged my finger across it, forming patterns in the glittery grains. "Alleria." A voice said, it to buzz strangely in my ears. I didn't look up. I continued to draw, my chin resting in my hand. "Alleria." The voice said again, ringing clearly, my ears stopped buzzing. I lifted my head slowly, flinching when I saw it was Pitch. A cruel smile appeared on his face. "Perfect. You look terrible, just how you need to be. Jack should be here at any moment so be prepared." He turned and left, leaving a small cloud of the black sand behind him. _No, Jack can't come, doesn't he know it's a trap?_ I crawled to the edge of the cage, the room below was illuminated more brightly than before and the dark marble glinted. Pitch stood in the center, waiting. As if on queue, Jack burst into the room, brining an icy wind with him. He landed just before Pitch and a wall of frost flew out from him. Even from here I could feel the hate and anger coming off him in waves, his blue eyes narrowed into slits. "Where _is _she." He growled, it was more of a demand than a question. "Who?" Pitch said. "_Alleria_." Jack's voice was a snarl and it scared me, I'd never seen him so mad. "Ah, Alleria, of course!" Pitch said, clapping his hands together. "Yes, she's right up there." He pointed to my cage. Jack's face softened into worry and he flew up and hung from the top of my prison. "Allie…" He murmured, blue eyes glossy with what seemed like tears. He reached through the bars and put a hand on my face. "Jack," my voice came out like a croak. "You have to get out of here…he'll kill you. Please, just go, I'll be fine." He shook his head. "I am _not _leaving you." He then pushed back from the cage and blasted it with his staff. The sand froze and he hit it until it gave away. Grabbing my hand he tugged me out, he bolted as fast as I'd ever seen him. We almost made it. "Not so fast," Pitch's voice echoed after us. A tendril shot out and wrapped around my ankle, ripping me from Jack's grasp. "Allie!" he cried. I was whipped down to the ground in front of Pitch, my body slammed against the marble. I moaned, everything hurt. I rolled over and rose to a sitting position. Black bindings materialized around my ankles and wrists. I stood up slightly and awkwardly, the ankle bindings didn't help, causing pain to wash over me. I felt broken, and it wasn't just my bones I was feeling. Inside, everything felt shattered, I was numb. Jack stopped across from Pitch, staff raised at him. A dagger formed in the Nightmare King's hand, but he aimed it just across from my back. "Don't you _dare _touch her!' Jack yelled. I stared at the blade, it was very blurry, actually, everything was blurry. The room seemed to sway and tilt. "No promises, but there's a better chance I won't kill her if you don't try to fight me." Pitch said. Jack looked over at me, his eyes were very big. "Fine." Jack spat. "Now what do you want?" Pitch smiled. "All I've ever wanted. People to feel pain and suffering, fear. You know, I have gained all my power from Alleria, she's been very helpful. But now, I'm completely restored. I don't need her anymore." Pitch then brought the knife into me. Time seemed to slow down. The blade became buried in my back and darkness took over me. "ALLIE!" Jack screamed, racing toward me. My knees buckled and I collapsed to the ground, spots danced across my eyes. Jack slid in front of me and carefully removed the dagger, causing me to wince sharply, then picked up my head, resting it gently on his knee. I looked up at him and smiled faintly. "I'm sorry," He shook his head, a single tear trickled down his cheek and landed on my nose. "No, no, you did nothing wrong. You're going to be okay Allie, I swear. You're going to be okay." His voice cracked. "You'll have to tell Anna I'm sorry too. I won't be able to come visit them." The blurriness became worse; I could barely see Jack's face. "No! You're going to be fine. You'll get to visit them," Jack promised, he was trying to assure himself more than me. I felt blood puddling around me; my back was soaked with it. "Jack, it's okay," I whispered. "You can't save me but that's okay. It wasn't your fault. Remember that, please." A light appeared, making me completely blind to everything, all I could see was white. "Allie…I love you…" His voice floated around me. Then I felt a pair of icy lips press against my forehead. And that was the last thing I ever felt.


	8. Chapter Eight

My name is Alleria and I am the Nightingale.

At least, that's what the Moon told me. He never said what it was I'm supposed to do or why I don't remember anything. He also forgot to mention that no one can hear, see or touch me. To everyone else, it's like I don't exist.

The only thing I know is that when I opened my eyes a few days ago I was falling from the sky. I have no idea why I was up there or how but I started screaming because when you're falling to your death that's the natural thing to do. So as I was yelling and my arms were flailing I heard a voice in my head. _You aren't going to die Alleria, use your wings. _A man's voice in my head had told me. _What wings?! _I screamed back at him in my mind. You could practically hear the forced patience in his tone. _The tattoos on your back. _Sure enough, when I strained my head to look at my shoulder blades there were two twin tattoos of black angel wings. _Um, wings…on? _I thought and then immediately they materialized where the tattoos had been. They were pretty big, reaching the back of my knees, and jet black, they were bird's wings and the feathers glistened. Now I just needed to learn how to use them. I felt new muscles in my back that weren't there before. I focused on them and tried to fly. After a few failed attempts I managed to flap the wings. It wasn't hard and I got the hang of it pretty easily. To be honest, it was actually pretty fun. I glided down, soaring through the clouds. Far below I saw the lights of a city so I flew toward it. I landed in a road leading into town, a large sign said, 'Welcome to Burgess'. I tilted my head to the side, that sounded familiar…I reached back and tapped the top of one of my wings. They both dissolved, and the tattoos took their place once more. _So I just touch them to turn the wings on and off. Weird. _I then followed the road leading into Burgess. It was a pretty big place, lots of stores, restaurants and buildings. Christmas decorations were everywhere but people were taking them down. Lights being coiled up and blown-up Santas and reindeer being deflated. It was kind of sad, wherever I had been, I'd just missed Christmas. Wind whistled in my ears and snow began to fall heavily from the now dark gray sky. I stopped under an awning of a restaurant to get out of the cold. I looked in the window and saw people sitting at tables, laughing and talking. Then I noticed my own reflection. It was strange that I didn't even know what I looked like. I had loose black curls that were very long and eyes that were… _purple? _Okay, that was pretty cool. My skin was already very pale but it stood out more against my black t-shirt and dark jeans. That's when I noticed the dagger that was strapped to my leg; I pulled it out, revealing a silver blade that was about the length of my forearm. Small birds were carved into the shiny metal hilt, making it look like they were flying up to the tip of the knife. It glimmered beautifully but was also dangerously sharp. I sheathed it and decided to only use the weapon when it was absolutely necessary. I continued down the sidewalk and stopped again in front of an electronics store, TVs aired lots of weather reports, saying there have been freak blizzards occurring everywhere, even in places where it almost never snows. It had been going on for the past two weeks. The snow continued coming down harder, I set off to find better shelter. People walking along fazed through me, not giving me a single glance. I would come to get used to this.

I walked until I reached the center of town. A huge Christmas tree was still standing there, decorated beautifully. For some reason, it made my heart ache to look at it. The cold didn't bother me anymore; I stood in the snowstorm like the weather was normal. I did feel cold on the inside though. Something big was missing, something other than my memories.

Months went by slowly; mostly my days were extremely boring. Snowstorms still raged on, even though it was June now. Everyone was freaking out about the weather, but I loved the snow, I was just fine with the blizzards. During this time, I learned about my other powers. First of all, I could turn into a bird; it wasn't as cool as having wings so I rarely transformed. And apparently my voice was magical. If I sang to people it could change their feelings, like if I saw a little kid crying I'd make them feel better by singing. They couldn't see me of course but I didn't like it when someone was upset, especially kids. But it could also have a negative effect. One day, I was sitting on a bench in a park, thinking and started to feel depressed. I'm pretty lonely, as you can imagine, people walk right through me and I don't have anyone to talk to. I sang a song, a really depressing one, I even felt like crying myself when I noticed everyone around me was looking very mournful. A guy even started bawling in the middle of the sidewalk. "Oh God, I'm so sorry!" I tried to tell him but he couldn't hear me. I sighed and knew there was nothing I could do.

At night I would go to the forest just outside of Burgess. In the center of the trees there was a pond; it was frozen over right now, due to the cold. I stepped onto it and it was pretty stable. I walked cautiously across the ice until I reached the center. I did a little twirl, sending a tiny frost wave around my feet. Then I looked up at the starry sky. I loved the stars; they were so beautiful. My favorite constellation was of a girl about to fire an arrow with her bow. I stared up at the Moon, the thing that had brought me here. Just like every night, he never spoke. I felt so empty, I wrapped my arms around myself and my wings appeared on my back. I flew up to the tallest tree I could find and sat on a branch toward the top. I retracted my wings and gazed up at the sky. My eyes adjusted and in the distance I saw a figure, flying toward me. I squinted as the figure got closer. It was a boy, he looked about my age. He had snow white hair and carried a wooden staff. _Maybe he's like me, he sure looks different enough. _The boy stopped dead when he saw me. He rested on the tree opposite mine, not very far away. His face went slack with shock as he stared at me. _Okay, this is getting creepy. _I stood up to leave when he flew at me with blinding speed, tackling me to the ground. Luckily we landed in the powdery snow below. I lay there, his knees on my stomach and his hands gripped my wrists, my heart began to pound, I felt like I _knew _him, but that was impossible, I'd never seen him before. The guy's skin was deathly pale and he was insanely cold. His blue eyes shone and he looked like he was going to start sobbing but then he grinned. He pulled me up to sit facing him and then hugged me until I thought my ribs would crack. He pulled away after I started gasping for air and held my shoulders. "Allie! I don't know how you're here but I don't care. I missed you so much…" His eyes grew sad but he smiled sweetly at me. "I don't-" I began but then he pressed his lips to mine. I pushed his shoulders back, forcing him away from me and then kicked him square in the chest sending him flying back into the snow. When he got up I saw he'd made a small crater in the powder as he rubbed his head. "What the hell dude?" I said, glaring at him. The boy's mouth fell open, he stared at me with such sadness I felt uncomfortable. "Um, look… I'm sorry, but who _are _you?"


	9. Chapter Nine

**A/N: Woah I am so sorry! It's been like 5 years since I updated, I've been super lazy and yeah…not a good excuse. Anyway, here's chapter 9!**

He let out a long sigh. "I'm…Jack, Jack Frost." The boy closed his eyes tightly. "I'm sorry, by the way. I didn't mean-I wasn't trying to…" He trailed off. I watched him, almost feeling guilty, he looked so…_broken. _I noticed the snow storm had stopped around us too, I wondered if he had caused it to. "Um, its okay, I guess." I shrugged. "Don't feel bad." Jack looked at me for a long time and I suddenly felt awkward. He seemed so familiar but that was impossible, I'd never seen him before. "So, do you uh, or did you, know me from before?" I asked eagerly. "I mean before I forgot everything." Jack winced slightly. "Yeah, I did. You were my um…friend." He bit his lip and looked down. I probably shouldn't keep asking questions, it looked like it was hard for Jack to talk about this, but I have to know. "Can you tell me about…me?" I made sure my voice was light. He sighed again and wouldn't meet my eyes. "I'm sorry, I can't. You have to find that out for yourself. That's what I had to do-" He quickly jumped up and grinned at me, suddenly in a better mood. "Tooth!" He exclaimed. "You have to see Tooth!" I frowned, confused. "Tooth? As in…?" Jack rolled his eyes, a little annoyed. "The Tooth Fairy, Guardian of Memories, she'll help you remember everything." After everything that had happened to me, and seeing Jack, it wasn't hard to believe that the Tooth Fairy was real. "Okay but, I don't understand how she can help me." Jack groaned. "Just come with me, right now, we-" He stopped again and his attention was fixed on the sky. I followed his gaze and saw the Northern Lights shining above us. "Wow." I murmured, they were so colorful and beautiful. I then felt an icy grip on my hand and yank me up. Jack was darting through the air, dragging me with him; we were now high above the trees. That's when I remembered I had wings. I let go of Jack's hand and he immediately whipped around. "Allie!" Then he stared at me, my wings keeping me from falling and I grinned. "Oh." A corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "Better keep up." He returned my smile but his eyes still looked sad.

Even though I didn't know where we were going I did more than keep up. I was a lot faster than him but he had to yell that we had to turn this way of the other way a few times. When I'd turn back I'd stick my tongue out at him. "You're just jealous!" I called and he tried not to laugh. "You wish!" He yelled. We finally got to a huge building, way out in the snow covered land. Jack explained it was Santa's Workshop, at the North Pole. He said it was the meeting place of the Guardians, the protectors of children. Jack pulled open one of the huge doors and I followed him inside. We walked up a wide staircase and passed these tiny elves wearing pointed hats as outfits and large gorilla-like creatures with ponytails, which I guessed were yetis. At the top of the stairs there were four people gathered before a huge globe with little golden lights, glowing on every continent, the lights however, were flickering. They all seemed deep in discussion. A tall man then stepped away from the group, he had a long white beard and the words 'Naughty' and 'Nice' were tattooed onto his forearms. "Jack! Good you could make it, come, we are discussing Pitch." He didn't seem to notice me so I sat down quietly on a chair nearby, waiting until they were done. "So! Jack we have some bad news." The tall man began. "Pitch is back, again." Jack narrowed his eyes. "But I thought I defeated him the night that…" He flicked his eyes over to me and then back at the ground. "North, if he is really back, I'm going after him. Right now." A bright lady who appeared to be covered in feathers, she reminded me of a hummingbird, spoke up. "Jack, we were already planning to defeat him, together, besides you can't go alone." She said worriedly. "Fine," Jack snapped. "But when we get him, I want to be the one to kill him." I hadn't known Jack that long but his anger surprised me; he must really hate this Pitch guy. The man named North looked troubled as well. "Well alright, we leave soon. I see Jack has brought someone."

I wasn't used to being seen by so many people. Everyone crowded around me, they were all pretty strange. There was a man made of golden sand, he was short and round with spiky hair. He didn't talk much but Jack introduced him as the Sandman or Sandy. The Easter Bunny was different than I imagined. He was more like a kangaroo than a bunny and when I pointed this out Jack fell on the floor laughing. Bunny had gray fur and tribal-like markings and had a thick Australian accent. "Lass, I suggest you don't call me a kangaroo, you're a lot like Frosty over here. That's not a good thing." The hummingbird woman shoved Bunny out of the way. "Don't threaten her!" She scolded. Then turned to me and smiled brightly. "Hi! I'm the Tooth Fairy, or Tooth. So you're Alleria! Jack talks about you all the time, or at least, he did. Anyway, can I see your teeth?" She radiated so much excitement it was kind of overwhelming. Little fairies buzzed around her and looked at me expectantly."Um…sure?" Tooth's smile widened and she rushed over to me and yanked my mouth open. "They're beautiful! Keep up the good work!" She winked. "Tooth? I kind of needed to talk to you." Jack said from across the room. Tooth fluttered over to him and said something that made her glance worriedly over at me. They talked for awhile then they both came back over to where I stood. Tooth smiled sweetly, but still a bit sad. "Allie? How about you come with me?"

The only thing more energetic than Tooth was her palace. Fairies darted everywhere, there were thousands of them. Tooth led Jack and I to a wall that had rows and rows of little boxes that slid out of slots along the wall. Her fairies would open the boxes and place what seemed to be teeth into them. Tooth looked up down at the boxes, I noticed that each one had a person's face painted on them. "Let's see…" Tooth muttered thoughtfully, her eyes scanning all of the faces. "Here it is!" She exclaimed and slid out a box. She handed it to me and smiled encouragingly. I looked at the small box in my hand. I turned it and there at the front was my face, my violet eyes shone back at me, painted so detailed it looked real. I glanced at Jack who met my gaze. He nodded at me. I took a deep breath and slid my finger over the top, at the center was a diamond shaped piece of glass and I pressed it.

Images flashed through my head. Me as a little girl, playing in the snow, then I was talking to…Jack? I guess I've known longer than I thought. Later it was me sitting in the middle of the floor in a bedroom, running my hands through my hair and letting out a bloodcurdling scream, the sound made me flinch even now. A few years later I was in a hospital room, staring at the ground, shaking violently. More years in the hospital passed, I watched as I continued to cry out and looked tortured everyday. Then I started going to the part of the hospital where the children were, I read to them, talked to them and even sang. They looked so happy and even I looked relieved for a little bit. Time continued to go by and I still didn't get better. Then one day, Jack appeared. When I watched myself with him, I looked so at peace, happier than I'd ever been since he'd left. The memories of me and him continued then they stopped suddenly and I saw myself in a cage. My skin looked gray and my eyes were sunken in. My hair hung in messy strands and I stared blankly at the floor. Another scene replaced that one and I was lying on the ground, blooding pooling around me. Jack held me in his arms and tears were falling from his eyes. A bloody dagger lay a few feet away and a man was sulking in the shadows, a cruel smile on his lips. Jack set me gently back on the ground and stood. He was seething rage as he glared at the man. Then he blasted a wave of icy blue light from his staff and the dark man dissolved.

I gasped as my eyes adjusted. I was back in the present, Tooth and Jack looking anxiously at me. Jack stepped forward. "Do you… do you remember me?" He asked, his voice gentle. I looked at him and smiled. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his chest. He hugged me back tightly and rested his chin on the top of my head. "I missed you so much…" His voice barely above a whisper. "I missed you too." I stepped away from him and grinned. "Now. Let's get Pitch."


	10. Chapter Ten

Jack, Tooth and I flew to meet Bunny, Sandy and North at Pitch's lair. When we arrived they were already there, waiting for us. North approached us, a grim look on his face.

"Got your memories back?" He asked me. I nodded and bit my lip. "Good, we'll need your help." We gathered around the broken and bettered empty bed frame that rested over a tunnel leading into the lair. "Everyone ready?" North asked us. I glanced nervously at the darkness below and Jack gripped my hand, giving me a tight smile.

"You'll be fine." He whispered. "I won't let him hurt you again." I sighed and drew my dagger. "We're ready." I stated, trying to sound confident. Then we all dove into the tunnel, Bunny darted along the side and North slid like a snowboarder, the rest of us flew. We arrived in the main room. In the center I saw a dark stain, blood, and to make it worse, it was mine. I felt Jack stiffen beside me. Then the sound of hooves clicking against marble echoed all around us. In seconds, we were surrounded by Pitch's nightmares, all staring at us with harsh, glowing eyes.

"Pitch, come out and stop being a coward!" Tooth called. I admired her bravery, I felt myself shaking. That same cruel laugh I'd heard so often sounded at us from all directions and the Nightmare King himself appeared in front of us.

"Good to see you all again, is there something I can help you with?" He asked. Then his gaze flicked to me and his eyes widened. He stepped forward. "Alleria! Great that you're back, I've missed you." I gripped my dagger even tighter. "Sorry about, stabbing you and all, no hard feelings right?" I brought up my blade and sliced it across his hand. He jumped back with a small yelp and covered his hand with his other, baring his teeth. "Fine. Have it your way." He dissolved into the shadows and the nightmares attacked.

"Remember the plan!" North yelled over the fight. Jack and I nodded. Tooth explained it all to us along the way; we would go after Pitch while the rest of them held off the nightmares. We flew above the dark horses, so far they were doing well, Sandy using his golden whips, North slashed left and right, Bunny threw his egg bombs and boomerangs and Tooth flew through the horses, cutting them up with her wings. I scanned the room for Pitch and there he was, off in the corner, watching the battle, amused. I gestured silently to Jack and we skimmed below the ceiling, not wanting Pitch to notice us. We landed behind him and crept quietly, I raised my dagger and-

"Thought you could kill me that easily?" In the blink of an eye he appeared behind us. We whipped around and he manifested a huge scythe out of his black sand. "It's going to be a little harder than that." Jack glared and dove at him, zapping his ice magic at Pitch, it hit right at his feet, freezing him in place. I flew up and began slashing at him, but he ducked and dodged. He took a blow with his scythe at the ice and it broke immediately. Jack tried blasting him again but he wasn't going to fall for that again. Pitch struck him to the ground and Jack hit the floor hard. He turned to me and before I could dodge, drove the end of his weapon against my collarbone, pinning me to the wall.

"I should've made sure you were dead. But of course the Man in the Moon just _had _to bring you back." Pitch growled, shoving the end of his scythe harder against my skin. I winced then swung my leg up and slammed it against his stomach. He fell to the ground, bent over, the wind knocked out of him. I kicked him over with my foot. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I think I was brought back for a reason." I twirled my dagger in my hand then shoved it down over his heart; he let out a gasp and dissipated into a pile of black sand. I looked around to see the nightmares had turned to sand as well. Tooth, Sandy, North and Bunny stood, breathing hard, but they gave me warm smiles. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Jack, grinning at me.

"You did it."

"I guess I did." I grinned back. He gave me a tight hug. "Let's go back to North's workshop, there's something we all need to do."

They all practically pushed me up the stairs. When we reached the overlook, a huge crystal that hadn't been there before now glowed a bright blue.

"Aha!" North exclaimed. "I knew it!" I frowned. "Knew what? What's happening?" Tooth zipped up to me. "Manny's choosing you!" She squealed. "You're going to be a Guardian!" The corners of my mouth lifted. North returned to the room carrying a huge book. He cleared his throat and we all gathered around, the elves and yetis too. A few of the elves began playing music loudly, which was actually kind of annoying. North began to recite the Guardian's Pledge, which I took. He smiled warmly. "Well Alleria, you're one of us now." Jack put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a cold kiss on the cheek. North rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "So, what is your center? What's special about you?" He pointed his finger at my heart and look at me super seriously. I frowned and bit my lip, not entirely sure. I thought for a moment then smiled. "Song." North grinned. "Let's welcome Alleria, the Nightingale, Guardian of Song. You shall help us protect the children now." Everyone clapped and I felt myself blush. Jack walked back up to me, giving me another hug. "I'm proud of you." I smiled. "Think I'll do a good job?" He laughed. "You'll do great." Then he closed the gap between us and pressed his lips to mine. And I felt more accepted than I ever had before.

**A/N: Oh my gosh, was this a good ending? I don't even know but I'm kind of sad it's over to be honest. But thank you guys so much for reading my story and extra thanks to those of you who left the sweetest, nicest reviews ever! My next story is probably gonna be a Peter Pan from OUAT fanfic…probably (because Robbie Kay is perfect), so if you're into that please look for that in the near future. Again thank you all so much!**


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